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By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
“A Nightmare on Elm Street” owns the market on malevolent spirits haunting teenager’s dreams, so when this sequel decides to go there, it’s rather disappointing. “Black Phone 2” is the follow up to the 2021 horror hit, retaining the same cast and director from the original which certainly helps the continuity of the story. However, the tension filled fright from that first film is noticeably absent, leaving viewers stirred but not shaken.
It’s been four years since Finn (Mason Thames) was responsible for taking out the serial killer known as The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Now Finn’s sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) is being tormented with nightmares of three young boys who went missing many years ago. The clues lead them to a Christian youth camp nestled in the Rocky Mountains. The siblings quickly learn that even though The Grabber is dead, he’s not through with them yet and his spirit wants vengeance. They must race to find the location of these boys before The Grabber can claim even more victims.
Scott Derrickson is an experienced filmmaker, especially in the horror genre, and it is even more advantageous for him to return to writing and directing his own sequel. As such, he’s able to pick up where he left off, crafting the story in a way that allows for the continuation of the characters he introduced in the original while also delving into the past to uncover hidden truths. Through clever flashbacks and dream sequences, Derrickson delves into the past and how it correlates with the current storyline, creating an interesting origin story type of format while still keeping the main plot moving forward. To keep his audience on the same page, he smartly differentiates the film quality when he shifts to a dream sequence using a Super 8mm or 16 mm film to give it a grittier texture as opposed to the modern digital style he uses for the real world.
Surprisingly, it is the horror elements and tension building that gives Derrickson issues. He disappointingly passes on opportunities to harness suspense and fright, especially during the nightmare scenes. There is not even a single jump scare to raise the blood pressure and adrenaline. Sure, the ghost of The Grabber has that scary visage and the devilish mask with a blood-soaked face underneath, but he just becomes another version of Freddy Krueger. Haunting the kids’ dreams, he gives chase and whatever damage he inflicts during this unconscious state shows up in real life. This blatant lack of creativity is disappointing. It’s made even worse when he eventually shows up as an invisible monster in the real world able to inflict harm directly, making viewers wonder why he just didn’t do this in the first place.
The cast is comprised of four returning actors to their respective roles, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke, and Jeremy Davies as the father. Thames continues to impress in the lead role. His character, now a bit older, is a troubled teenager constantly getting into fights at school as he deals with the aftermath of what happened in the first movie. He does a great job showing the effects of PTSD and his coping mechanisms of using marijuana to dull the memories. His sullenness and anger burn like an ember just beneath the surface, showing solid depth to his acting.
Likewise, Madeleine McGraw is improving and coming into her own as a young actress. She handles the increased screentime and responsibility in this sequel with poise quickly alleviating any doubt about her acting ability. She excellently handles her character’s fear with insatiable curiosity that allows her to believably press forward in the midst of lethal danger. She even gets the opportunity to try out a teenage romance in the film, which she again handles realistically.
While Ethan Hawke’s role is a bit more subdued in this movie as a ghost, his line delivery and tone of voice continues to be unnerving. The veteran actor retains that similar level of evil he exhibited so purely in the first film. His busy year continues when “Blue Moon” releases to theaters later this week, which could net him his fifth Oscar nomination if the buzz is any indication.
Like most horror sequels, this one pales in comparison to the original, but the story has enough depth to appease fans. “Black Phone 2” lacks the fright of its predecessor, is a bit too similar to “A Nightmare on Elm Street” with a setting that seems to nod to “Friday the 13th,” and boasts a climax that becomes a bit too silly. Even though this makes it unworthy of a theater ticket, the merging of the backstories creates enough intrigue to check this out at home when it’s available to stream.
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